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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 768 FILED ON: 1/14/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2495 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Michael F. Rush |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act ensuring the fair treatment of military service members and veterans. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Michael F. RushNorfolk and SuffolkPaul McMurtry11th Norfolk1/22/2025 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 768 FILED ON: 1/14/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2495 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Mr. Rush, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2495) of Michael F. Rush and Paul |
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| 19 | 19 | | McMurtry for legislation to ensure the fair treatment of military service members and veterans. |
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| 20 | 20 | | Veterans and Federal Affairs. |
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| 21 | 21 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
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| 22 | 22 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 2352 OF 2023-2024.] |
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| 23 | 23 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 24 | 24 | | _______________ |
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| 25 | 25 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 27 | 27 | | _______________ |
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| 28 | 28 | | An Act ensuring the fair treatment of military service members and veterans. |
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| 29 | 29 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 30 | 30 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 31 | 31 | | 1 SECTION 1. Section 1 of chapter 115 of the General Laws is hereby amended by |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2inserting after the definition of “Secretary” the following definition:- |
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| 33 | 33 | | 3 ''Uniformed services'', shall have the same meaning as in 38 U.S.C. section 4303(16) and |
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| 34 | 34 | | 4shall include: (i) the armed forces of the commonwealth, including the state defense force or |
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| 35 | 35 | | 5similar organization composed as permitted by law; (ii) the state staff when engaged in duty |
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| 36 | 36 | | 6under this chapter or Title 32 of the United States Code; or (iii) the armed forces of another state |
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| 37 | 37 | | 7or territory when ordered to active duty under appropriate authority. |
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| 38 | 38 | | 8 SECTION 2. Said chapter 115 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 2D |
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| 39 | 39 | | 9the following section:- 2 of 2 |
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| 40 | 40 | | 10 Section 2E. Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights |
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| 41 | 41 | | 11 (a) There shall be a veteran employment and reemployment rights division within the |
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| 42 | 42 | | 12executive office of veterans services to assist veterans and service members with employment |
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| 43 | 43 | | 13disputes. There shall be within the division: (i) intake officers to serve as the designated initial |
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| 44 | 44 | | 14point of contact for veterans and service members within the division; (ii) investigators to |
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| 45 | 45 | | 15conduct the division’s formal inquiries or investigations, as necessary; and (iii) mediators to act |
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| 46 | 46 | | 16as an intermediary between veterans and service members and employers. |
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| 47 | 47 | | 17 (b) Under the direction of the secretary of the executive office of veterans services, the |
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| 48 | 48 | | 18veteran employment and reemployment rights division shall: (i) employ intake officers to meet |
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| 49 | 49 | | 19with veterans and service members, gather preliminary evidence and facts from the service |
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| 50 | 50 | | 20member or veteran, and gather preliminary evidence on military service, employment, and |
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| 51 | 51 | | 21reemployment; (ii) employ investigators to contact employers and military components for the |
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| 52 | 52 | | 22purpose of gathering pertinent evidence; (iii) conclude whether there was improper conduct in |
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| 53 | 53 | | 23violation of Sections 4301 to 4333, inclusive, of title 38 of the United States Code, the |
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| 54 | 54 | | 24Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act or the General Laws; and (iv) |
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| 55 | 55 | | 25employ mediators to contact the employer and veteran to offer mediation to resolve disputes and |
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| 56 | 56 | | 26correct any improper conduct. |
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| 57 | 57 | | 27 (c) If mediation under this section is unsuccessful, the Executive Office of Veterans |
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| 58 | 58 | | 28Services shall refer the case to the attorney general for further action. |
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